The Portland daily press., 1887-03-15
THE BRIDGE,
SpecuIations Regarding the Cause of
It's Fall

A curious feature of the disaster is found
In the fact that the entire bridge went down
with thefwreck. Not a scrap of iron re-
NAMED attached to the abutments, and but
Ior the chasm and the awful wreck beneath
there was nothing to indicate that bridge
had once spanned the abyss. The wreck of
the bridge lay under the debris of the train.
almost completely shut out from view. Ly-
ing Dy the side OF one Of the splintered cars
was one OF the main iron girders of the
bridge which showed clean new fracture
through the entire breadth, at a point of the
Juncture OF two Of its parts. This girder
composed two parallel plates of heavy
wrought braces of wrought iron. and the
ally expressed by those who personally in
spected the wreck is that the breaking of
this girder was undoubtedly the cause of
the disaster. But there is much doubt as TO
the cause Of the breaking of the girder. 1t
is stated by some that there was a jarring
and humping sensation just previous to the
crash. which gives color to the theory that
the fourth car, the first to 90 through the
bridge, was derailed and thrown from its
trucks to the ties of the bridge with such
force as TO cause its heavy iron supports to
give way. AT the point where the parallel
pieces of iron bolted together there was
found fracture in the iron part which had
rusted and indicated an old flaw, while
1me l.l.e, otner portion was clean fracture.
This might, in the opinion Of some people.
Indicate that the old flaw had weakened the
truss or girder to such an extent that when
the full weight Of the train came upon the
bridge 1t caused the remaining section of the
truss TO give way, thus allowing the struc-
ture 10 1all. Another. fact bearing upon the
cause of the disaster is the condition of the
cars which went over the bridge with scarce
ly less damage than was inflicted upon the
coaches GO, that went through to the highway.
Inc nrst sign ot violence Is upon the wood
Mork q the second truck Of the first car of
trfn
meath fractured the heavy 4 by lO-inch oak
TIMBER IN the framework Of the truck, mid
way between the rails and between the
axles. The blow was so heavy that it lifted
the truck from the track and derailed the
car.
Engineer White says when going across
the bridge he felt a shock which he Thought
might have been caused by broken axle
Ihis, however, could not possibly have been
the first cause of the accident, for the trucks
OF the first two cars are in good condition,
except In regard to the fractured oak timber
mentioned above The only remaining pos
slble cause Of the accident Is broken rail,
and II Is doubtful If an investigation into
TINS point could result satisfactorily, for
there are many pieces of broken and twisted
rails snarled up in the wreck. The probable
cause OF the smashing up of the three cars
nearest the :engine, which remained on the
top OF the embankment, is they must have
jumped the track VIXEN the rear cars went
through the bridge, the sudden stopping
causing them to telescope each other and
collapse. The Bussey bridge was built fif-
teen years ago, and during the past ten years
has been repaired three times, the original
wooden trusses having been replaced with
IRON glrderS some ten years ago.
Workmen have been busily engaged all
day IN removing the debris from the street
and from the embankment. The wreck was
SO complete that no attempt will be made 10
save any portion of the train. Fragments Of
the cars are being removed and placed at
one side and the wreck ultimately will be
destroyed.
Among the scientific gentlemen who ex-
amined the broken bridge was Prof. Geo. f.
Swain, instructor of civil engineering and
hydraulics at the Institute OF Technology
and who s.also specialist !, in bridge con
strqction. He is reported as SAYING that in
looking at the floor of the beam hangers he
found some Of the hangers were defective
ana mad been largely rusted off.
lnese hangers were made from welded
iron, and the weld seemed to be in some
places imperfect, and it seemed to him ex-
tremely probable that at this joint where the
hangers were broken, the original rupture
might have occurred.
=, There seemed no doubt that the Qlality of
the material was imperfect in some places.
Several other portions of the bridge showed
evidences Of faulty design in the trusses.
AT the time these bridges were built cast
iron was used to a considerable extent in
connecting parts of the bridges, but engi
neers have now entirely discarded that ma
terlal IN important structures. / should
State, however, that l did not notice any
place III the bridge where this material had
failed in this case.